Hat trick

Hat trick derives from the game of cricket and occurs when a bowler gets three batsmen out with three successive deliveries. The expression dates from the late 19th century c. 1875 and has nothing whatsoever to do with bowler hat, which was named after its maker, Thomas Bowler. There are two theories about the hat. The first is that the bowler was given a brand new hat to mark the occasion; the other is that a hat was passed round among the spectators and the proceeds given to the bowler. Perhaps both customs applied. Since then, the term extended into other sports to signify sequences of three, three goals in football, three tries in rugby, hockey matches etc. Nor is the expression confined to sporting events. For example, three consecutive election wins can also constitute a hat trick.